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Portland’s Valentine’s Day Bandit revealed in death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:21 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The identity of the so-called Valentine’s Day bandit, responsible for leaving hundreds of red hearts in downtown Portland for more than four decades, has been revealed in death.Kevin Fahrman, of Falmouth, was chief instigator of a group of feel-good pranksters who struck every year on Feb. 14, family and friends said, a tradition that put smiles on people’s faces while leaving behind an enduring mystery of who was responsible. He was 67 when died on Friday.Portland Mayor Kate Snyder said it was sad to lose such a local treasure “and bittersweet to have him revealed.”“The Valentine’s Day bandit has given so much to the Portland community. His gift of love was anticipated by so many each February. I hope the tradition continues — it would be a wonderful tribute to someone who brought love and hope to all of us annually,” the mayor said.The love and levity started in the mid-1970s before Fahrman took it over in 1979.Over the years, simple white sheets of pa...

Why the northern and southern lights appear to be so active right now

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:21 GMT

(CNN) — The breathtaking dancing shimmer of the aurora borealis and its counterpart in the southern hemisphere, aurora australis, dazzles those lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Earth’s greatest light show.The northern and southern lights, which are usually confined to the Arctic and Antarctica, have generated awe and wonder for centuries.In recent months, photographers and night sky watchers have been capturing the colorful display further south (or north if you’re in the southern hemisphere) than usual — places like the state of Colorado, the southeast of England and New South Wales. Pilots have circled their planes mid-flight to give their passengers a closer look at the phenomenon.A new solar event over the weekend caused colorful auroras Sunday night and Monday morning, and more can be expected Monday night, according to EarthSky.Auroras may be visible as far south as Alabama and northern California, according to NOAA&#...

Millions face a late-season spring chill, others brace for flooding and another round of severe weather

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:21 GMT

(CNN) — If you follow seasons by the meteorological calendar, we are halfway through spring, but if you look at the forecast this week, it seems like anything but. A huge spring chill will impact a large chunk of the country this week, dropping temperatures well below normal and even bringing the potential for a handful of record lows.“After 4 consecutive days with temperature departures of +20 to +30F mid-month, the stagnant cool pattern of late should mean April ends below normal for most,” the National Weather Service office in the Twin Cities said, speaking about the Upper Midwest.Monday morning, Indianapolis tied a record low temperature after a morning start of just 28 degrees. Just four days ago, Indianapolis nearly tied a record high temperature, missing it by only 1 degree.Many cities are bracing for a similar swing in temperature extremes in the coming days.The cold will spread south and east this week, where millions could see temperatures well...

Adele to be last ‘Carpool Karaoke’ guest with James Corden

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:21 GMT

(CNN) — The last time Adele appeared with James Corden doing “Carpool Karaoke,” it went viral. Soon there will be an opportunity for that to happen again.CBS announced Monday that the superstar singer will be the final guest for the segment on “The Late Late Show” with James Corden.“During their second ‘Carpool’ together — and Corden’s last one as host of THE LATE LATE SHOW — Adele surprises her longtime friend at home in the morning, waking him up and offering to drive the late-night host to work,” according to a press announcement from the show. “Once in the car, Adele then turns the tables on Corden, asking him about past Carpools, pivotal moments in their friendship (including the time he tried, unsuccessfully, to prank her), and even a song she wrote that was inspired by an emotional conversation they shared.”It was this time last year that it was announced Corden would be leaving the late ...

Anthony Rizzo hitting (and getting hit) often for otherwise quiet Yankee lineup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:21 GMT

Friday’s game between the Yankees and Blue Jays grew contentious in the top of the ninth inning when Greg Weissert hit Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a pitch.The Toronto superstar admired a home run earlier in the Blue Jays’ win, but there was no real reason to believe the Yankees’ erratic righty plunked the slugger on purpose. Still, Guerrero stared the young pitcher down and slowly walked to first base. Anthony Rizzo took exception to that and let Guerrero know. Some jawing followed, but the incident never escalated beyond that.“He’s not trying to hit him there. We’re not trying to hit him. Just play baseball. I’ve been hit many a times in this game,” said Rizzo, adding that he just wanted to defend Weissert. “Very rarely am I ever staring at someone when I know, absolutely, it’s not intentional at all.”Indeed, Rizzo has been hit “many a times” – 205 to be exact. No active big leaguer has been plunked ...

RJ Barrett emerges as impactful No. 2 option in playoffs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:21 GMT

Give RJ Barrett his flowers. He deserves the bouquet.No Knick this season has been more scrutinized and dissected than Barrett, who was burdened by higher expectations in his fourth year and largely floated under them.On the team hierarchy, Barrett’s shooting struggles left him, without question, a third and unreliable option behind Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. After Barrett missed 19 of his 25 shots in the first two games against Cleveland, Stephen A. Smith told his immense audience on ESPN’s First Take, “RJ Barrett, you might need to sit him down. He might need to sit down for this series.“Every series ain’t for everybody,” Smith added. “The great ones, the really, really good ones, they can play in any series. But there are others – you just don’t have that kind of game. And RJ for this series, he don’t need to be seeing the floor. He ain’t made for this series. He just don’t have that kind of game.”...

Pennsylvania State Police issue warrant for ‘Jackass’ star Bam Margera after alleged assault

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:21 GMT

Pennsylvania State Police are asking for the public’s assistance in searching for former “Jackass” star and skateboarding legend Brandon “Bam” Margera after an altercation at his home in Pocopson, Chester County.State police at Avondale on Sunday issued a news release saying that an arrest warrant was issued for Margera from the District Court in Kennett Square, charging him with terroristic threats and simple assault.According to his mother, April Margera, the target of Margera’s ire was his younger brother, Jess.“We don’t know where he is,” April Margera said Monday morning in a telephone interview, referring to Bam. “He is just struggling with so many layers of issues.” She said his brother had gone to the property on Hickory Hill Road — known in the past as “Castle Bam” — because of a recent “episode.”April Margera said the “Viva La Bam” reality television star had dealt for years with alcohol abuse and mental health issues, and had been living in Florida and California before r...

I-805 closure: Man with knife shot by officer, CHP says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:21 GMT

SAN DIEGO — All lanes of northbound Interstate 805 south of Imperial Avenue were closed Monday following a shooting involving a California Highway Patrol officer.The closure began around 8 a.m. and drivers were detoured to the Imperial Avenue off-ramp, according to Caltrans.Lt. Adam Sharki with San Diego Police Department confirmed to FOX 5 shortly before 9 a.m. that the police activity was prompted after a CHP officer was involved in a shooting. 2 hospitalized after City Heights shooting Around 7:48 a.m., a CHP officer was conducting a traffic stop on the right shoulder of northbound I-805 at Imperial Avenue, Sgt. Brian Pennings said at a news conference. While the officer was walking back to his patrol car, he saw that a man had pulled a vehicle up behind him. "The officer made contact with this individual while he was still seated inside of his car," Pennings said. "The officer observed immediately that he was brandishing a weapon, which was a knife."The officer retreated to hi...

York police join GTA officers warning of pizza delivery scam

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:21 GMT

A message from another Ontario police force: be wary of the pizza delivery scam taking hold across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).York Regional Police are warning of an increase in the ongoing crime after investigators in Toronto recently issued a similar plea to residents to be extra vigilant if approached by suspects claiming to need cash to pay for pizza.Typically, a suspect approaches a victim posing as someone who ordered a pizza delivered by a second suspect posing as the delivery person.It’s alleged that two suspects tell the victim that the delivery person only accepts debit cards and won’t take cash, convincing the victim to use their debit card.The victim will then receive a fake but similar-looking card, and the suspects use the real one to withdraw money or make purchases.Police say legitimate delivery services accept cash, so it’s likely a scam if someone suspicious tries to convince you otherwise.Toronto police said recently if you’re asked to i...

1 dead in Oklahoma college shooting, suspect in custody

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:42:21 GMT

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (AP) — One person was shot and killed Monday at a small Oklahoma college and police said a suspect was in custody after school officials told students to stay inside. No other injuries were reported. Midwest City Police Chief Sid Porter said the shooting on the campus of Rose State College appeared to be “domestic-related.” He told reporters at the scene that both the suspect and victim were male. He did not provide additional details about what led to the shooting on the campus in suburban Oklahoma City, which has about 13,000 students.Porter said that weeks before the shooting, students and staff at Rose State College had completed an exercise about what to do in the event of an active shooter.“Thing got locked down real quick,” Porter said. “I just think they did a fantastic job listening to the school and everybody staying down and not panicking because we didn’t know what was going on.”The Associated Press